In addition to the fact that ostriches are the largest representatives of birds, they also hold the record for the size of eggs laid. But if you proportionally compare the size of the egg to the size of the bird, it turns out that the ostriches lay the smallest eggs. Amazing, right? And these are just a few of the many startling facts about these giants.
What is special about ostriches and their eggs?
The ostrich is one of the oldest representatives of ratite (flightless) birds .… Archaeologists have found a fossilized skeleton of this bird, which is more than 120 million years old. This is the largest known bird living today, native to Africa. Males can be recognized by their black and white plumage and larger size. Some individuals reach almost 2,5 meters in height and weigh over 130 kilograms. Females are usually sandy in color and usually grow up to 170-200 cm farmer-online.com.
In the wild, a mature female lays 25 to 30 eggs annually for 12-15 years after mating. This process is usually repeated every few weeks. On farms, eggs from the ostrich nest are quickly removed to prolong the laying period. farmer-online.com… In this way, during the season, which usually lasts from mid-March to mid-August, 80-100 eggs can be obtained from one female. However, for these birds, indicators of 40-50 pieces are more characteristic. It is interesting that both parents incubate the offspring – the male sits on the nest at night, and the female warms up future chicks during the day. And this is no coincidence. At night, due to the dark plumage, males on the nest are not so noticeable to predators, and in the daytime, gray-brown females camouflage themselves, merging with the sand. However, over 35-45 days of the incubation period, on average, only 10% of the deposited offspring survive.
It is also interesting that all females in the flock lay eggs in a common hole (up to 60 pieces).
At the same time, the laying hen, which first laid offspring, remains dominant. She determines which of them to incubate, and throws future descendants of the weaker representatives of the flock out of the pit. Surprisingly, despite the fact that all ostrich eggs are the same, the female is able to determine in the nest which ones are her own.
Wild ostriches are found in dry hot savannas and woodlands of Africa. In the past, these giant birds have been found throughout Asia, Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. But after several centuries of ostrich hunting, their habitat narrowed south of the Sahara. However, in captivity ostriches are grown all over the world.
What does a giant egg look like
One ostrich egg weighs about 1,2 kg, and its contents are equivalent to 24 average chicken eggs. The usual size of an ostrich delicacy is 13 by 16 cm ..… The shell color ranges from pearl white to cream, and the glossy surface is covered with hundreds of pores. The shell is relatively thin (2-4 mm), but very strong and can withstand a load of up to 120 kg. Almost a kilogram of the total weight of such a specimen is squirrel.
In addition to large oval specimens, you can sometimes see somewhat different ostrich eggs. For example, a deformed shell indicates that the bird was poorly fed during oviposition and lacked calcium. The very small one is the so-called test egg. It is not fertile and contains no yolk. This is the first egg the female lays. Over time, she will eat it as a source of calcium.
Nutritional characteristics
An ostrich egg can provide the human body with 2000 kilocalories (100 g of the product contains about 120 kcal). It is 47% protein and 44% fat. This product is rich in calcium, phosphorus, vitamins of group B, A, E, as well as trace elements such as magnesium, manganese, selenium, zinc, copper, iron ..… True, as for vitamins A and E, ostrich eggs contain much less of them than chicken eggs. At the same time, ostrich animals have richer reserves of vitamins B, magnesium and iron. Another nutritional argument in favor of giant eggs is that it has lower cholesterol and much higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids compared to chicken. Polyunsaturated fatty acids make up a significant part of the yolk. In general, ostriches are more nutritious than eggs of other birds.
Main advantages
Low in cholesterol and saturated fat
If we compare 1 chicken egg and the equivalent amount of ostrich, it turns out that both products contain the same amount of fat – about 5 g. Meanwhile, the calorie content of ostrich fat is slightly lower. In addition, saturated fats are completely absent in the ostrich product, of which there are about 2 g in chicken. But perhaps the most important argument in favor of ostrich eggs is the extremely low cholesterol content. If a chicken product contains 211 mg of cholesterol (approximately 70% of the daily value), then an equivalent serving of ostrich contains only 11 mg, which corresponds to 4% of the allowed limit.
Protein source
The body of an adult male needs about 56 g of protein daily. For women, the norm is about 46 g. Although an ostrich egg contains slightly less protein than a chicken egg, it still remains an excellent source of protein. A serving of 1 chicken egg will provide about 10% of your daily protein requirement. In addition, the balanced composition of amino acids makes it a so-called “complete” protein. Unlike other poultry eggs, ostrich products contain more threonine and lysine, but slightly less alanine.
How to choose eggs and break the shell
Before buying an ostrich product, it is important to check its freshness. And this is the first moment that raises questions from those who want to try the delicacy. Still, the product is not cheap and no one wants to make a mistake with the choice. One of the most noticeable changes that indicate egg staleness is weight loss, evaporation of liquid, and an increase in the air chamber. To check the quality of a delicacy, you need to take a giant egg in your hands and shake it slightly. A bubbling sound under the shell is a sure sign of abandoning a purchase.
The second problem that exotic lovers face is how to properly break the shell of this giant. You should immediately warn that this is not so easy to do. Still, the thickness of the protective shell is almost 10 times greater than in chicken specimens. Although it is thanks to such a strong and thick shell that the product can be stored in the refrigerator for up to six months.
Depending on how the person plans to use the egg, there are different ways to “open” the shell. If you want to keep the shell as intact as possible, then you need to break it with extreme caution. With a sharp tool (a chisel is also suitable), you need to make a small hole and pour the contents through it.
If you need to separate the yolk from the protein, then a small hammer and a serrated knife will come to the rescue. Small dents should be made around the circumference of the shell with a hammer, and then sawed with a knife along the marked line ..
The biggest scrambled eggs, or what to cook from an unusual product
In Africa, ostrich meat and eggs have been used for food for at least 150 years. Ostrich eggs can be cooked in exactly the same way as other poultry products: fry omelets and scrambled eggs, boil, bake, add to dough and casseroles. At the same time, it is important to understand that it will take longer to cook them. To cook such a giant, you need to spend at least an hour and a half. 1… But one egg can feed 10 people. Ostrich eggs taste like chicken eggs, but have a slight sweetish aftertaste.
The easiest way to cook is to boil a giant egg. This will be a ready-to-eat product. Or you can make a more interesting dish out of it. The boiled egg, together with the shell, must be carefully cut into 2 equal parts. Take out the white and yolk, cut them into pieces and knead them thoroughly. Add spices, herbs or fried onions to the egg puree (however, there can be many filling options), mix everything and fill both halves of the shell with the resulting mass. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake in the oven until bread crumbs are golden brown.
How to use the shell
A unique characteristic of ostrich eggs is their extremely hard shell. It is so durable and beautiful (many say that it resembles porcelain) that it is often used as the basis for elegant caskets with intricate carvings and interesting paintings. By the way, some works of such unusual art can cost several hundred dollars. And in the desert, these split “bowls” are used as a cutlery, which can hold more than a liter of liquid.
Ostrich eggs, despite the impressive cost, are becoming more and more popular. There are many who want to surprise their guests with an exotic dish made from a giant product. They are increasingly remembered on Easter holidays and other family celebrations. Moreover, this product is healthy, nutritious and looks original on the table.
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